Monday, January 14, 2013Josh Jones talks first of several visits
By Jared Shanker

There was some confusion as to where Josh Jones (Walled Lake, Mich./Western) was officially visiting this weekend. NC State thought he was coming. So did Pittsburgh.

The three-star safety made it to Pittsburgh in the end, where he connected with the coaching staff quickly, specifically coach Paul Chryst and assistant Matt House.

“Coach Chryst, he’s a good guy. I enjoyed talking to him and my position coach, Coach House,” Jones said. “The campus life is pretty nice and I like the town of Pitt.

“I’m going to put some thought into it.”

The thought will be whether he will sign with Illinois, which he committed to at the end of June.

“I would say I’m considered as [a] soft [commit],” Jones said. “I would consider myself open because I want to make the right decision. I want to see a couple more schools then make my decision.”

Jones’ decision he said will come down to where he is most comfortable and which program and university he likes best, and not which coaching staff he likes most.

“It’s whose talking to me the most and where do I feel most comfortable. If a coach may leave, what place would I feel most comfortable,” Jones said.

He said he got that feel at Pittsburgh.

“Although I hope the coaching staff doesn’t leave. I love the coaching staff,” he said.

The next official visit for Jones will come this coming weekend. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Jones will visit Michigan State, which has not offered. An offer would come on his visit, Jones said.

Michigan State might be the closest program recruiting Jones, but that might actually hurt the Spartans’ chances. And while Jones is visiting the Spartans, he hinted the two sides might not be on the same page.

“Michigan State, they beat around the bush with me a lot,” Jones said. “I don’t care a lot about staying in state. I’m going to enjoy my visit. In a couple of weeks I’ll know my decision, but I’m not too high on staying in state.”

NC State could land an official visit on Jan. 25 now, but the Wolfpack are competing with Colorado and Iowa.

Colorado is rising fast up Jones’ board. He doesn’t hold an offer from the Buffaloes, but former NC State assistant coach Troy Walters is now at Colorado, and Walters never let up on Jones. He said he is leaning toward visiting Colorado that weekend.